BRASILIA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Brazil successfully launched on Thursday its VSB-30 scientific research rocket from the Alcantara Launch Center, in the northeastern state of Maranhao.

The 12-meter rocked will fly for 20 minutes at an altitude of 280 km, during which it will conduct experiments on the behavior of materials at reduced gravity. At its apogee, the rocket will experience near-zero gravity for a little more than six minutes, then return to earth where it will be rescued from the sea.